Short Takes – 3-30-24

Water systems short on cyber expertise, state and local officials tell EPA. StateScoop.com article. Pull quote: “At the meeting, Neuberger asked states to share by May 20 cybersecurity plans that include information about how they are working with drinking water and wastewater systems to determine vulnerabilities.”

CISA Community Bulletin April 2024. GovDelivery.com bulletin. ChemLock program notes: “CISA’s ChemLock program recently released several new products: three customizable templates that facilities and organizations can use as part of developing and implementing a facility security plan and two new resource flyers.”

Half of senior staffers in Congress are so fed up that they may quit. WashingtonPost.com article (free). Pull quote: “Slightly more senior Democratic staff members said they were considering leaving because of the GOP’s “heated rhetoric” than did Republican aides when considering Democratic rhetoric. But almost 6 in 10 senior Republican staffers said they were thinking about leaving their jobs because of the actions of “my party.””

NOAA gets dire warning about solar geoengineering. Politico.com article. Pull quote: “If something like that were to happen in the real world, “suppose then the monsoon fails over India and China has a disastrous drought or heat wave,” Bookbinder said. “Who do you think they’re gonna blame? The geopolitical problems that can come if people start doing this on a national scale are beyond imagining.””

Baltimore port crisis: World’s largest container ship company, MSC, dumps diverted cargo problem on U.S. companies. CNBC.com article.  Pull quote: “In an email to customers obtained by CNBC on Thursday, MSC explained that for customer containers already on the water bound for the Port of Baltimore, cargo will be rerouted and discharged at an alternate port where it will be made available for pick-up.”

Industry’s water sustainability crisis. ChemistryWorld.com article. Pull quote: “Today’s energy sector consumes vast amounts of water. Avner Vengosh’s research group at Duke University in North Carolina, US, has worked on the energy–water nexus for some years, exploring a vicious cycle of growing demand. ‘The more modern the society, the more water consumption and withdrawal. And then you need more energy, and more water [and] then you pollute more water.’ Treating wastewater and moving treated water again requires more energy.”